T20 World Cup 2022: Arshdeep Singh can do what Zaheer Khan did for India: Anil Kumble

Former Indian legendary spinner Anil Kumble has backed Arshdeep Singh to do what former pacer Zaheer Khan did for the national team. Singh has shown the right skills to go a long way in his career and Kumble feels he has the caliber to fill in the big shoes of the former Mumbai pacer.

Zaheer Khan is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers ever produced by India and he did a fine job for the team throughout his career.

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh scalped three wickets against Pakistan at the iconic MCG on Sunday and thus made an impressive T20 World Cup debut. Singh was able to strike on the first ball he bowled as he sent back Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam. The left-arm pacer then got the big wicket of Mohammad Rizwan and also accounted for Asif Ali at the fag end of the innings.

“Arshdeep has certainly matured and I’d like to see him carry on. Probably what Zak (Zaheer Khan) did for India”.

“I expect Arshdeep to go on to do some wonderful things for India,” said Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Open Mic programm

Kumble has observed Arshdeep Singh’s rise from close quarters when he was Punjab Kings’ head coach. Former Indian head coach revealed that Singh has developed as a player and the same was palpable in this year’s IPL. The 23-year-old scalped 10 wickets in 14 matches of IPL 2022 and bowled with an impressive economy rate of 7.70.

“I was really impressed with Arshdeep, how he’s come through. I worked with him for three years and I could see the kind of development that he has had in the T20 format, and last year’s IPL was a classic example of how he handled the pressure.

“He perhaps bowled the tough overs for the team and yeah, you don’t always look at the wickets column in the T20 game, you look at what moments the bowler comes up with.

“And the temperament that he’s shown, it’s wonderful. We saw that again in the India-Pakistan game. When you have 90,000 people at the MCG, it’s always challenging.

On the other hand, Kumble rated Pakistan’s bowling attack as the best in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

“Pakistan certainly has the best pace-bowling attack, for sure. They lacked the all-rounder that Australia has. Australia has, overall, a good attack, in terms of having options. India certainly has good spinners. If you ask me, I think Pakistan has the best fast-bowling attack,” he added.

India will take on the Netherlands on Thursday at the SCG.